the Swamp bridge to the Williamsburg road and up that road, engaging us brisk at times, but without any casualties on our side. At Charles City Cross-Roads and in that vicinity Colonel Spear had one man wounded and three men captured. The nonappearance of General Sheridan's troops, and my inability to obtain any knowledge of his whereabouts, together with the unavoidable delay in crossing White Oak Swamp, which required extensive bridging and corduroing, operated more than any indisposition on the part of the command to make the expedition fruitless.

ROB. M. WEST,

Colonel, Commanding Division.

HDQRS. DEFENSES OF BERMUDA HUNDRED, VA.,
ARMY OF THE JAMES,

March 19, 1865.

Bvt. Brigadier General T. READ,

Assistant Adjutant-General, Department of Virginia:

GENERAL: My order assuming command not having been issued until this morning the papers forwarded herewith and bearing date this morning have been examined and acted upon by General Ferrero. I have examined and approved his action on they all, but I suppose my formal approval on them to be unnecessary. By reference to the field report of this command, inclosed, it will seen that the infantry numbers, 4,094 and the artillery 1,045. I propose, if it meets the approval of the general commanding, to organize the infantry into one division of two brigades, under Brevet Major-General Ferrero, and the artillery into one brigade, the division to be called Infantry Division, Defenses of Bermuda Hundred, and the artillery, Artillery Brigade, Defenses of Bermuda Hundred, designation of the whole command to be unchanged. After a little further examination I will issue an order carrying out the above suggestions and submit it for the approval of the commanding general. Meantime, and until I can acquire more information of my command, I thought it simpler and better to have General Ferrero attend to the routine and detail duties of the command, and have so ordered in my general order inclosed.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

GEO. L. HARTSUFF,

Major-General, U. S. Volunteers.

[Inclosure.]

GENERAL ORDERS,
HDQRS. DEFENSES OF BERMUDA HUNDRED, VA., ARMY OF THE JAMES, Numbers 33.
March 19, 1865.

In accordance with orders from department headquarters the undersigned hereby assumes command of the Defenses of Bermuda Hundred, relieving Brigadier-General Graham. The command will as soon as practicable be reorganized. Until the reorganization Brevet Major-General Ferrero will continue to command the troops and attend to the routine and detail duties of the command. The staff of the general commanding will be announced hereafter.

GEO. L. HARTSUFF,

Major-General, U. S. Volunteers.